Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
This report is issued as part of the Health and Safety Executive's commitment to make information about inspection and regulatory activities relating to the above site available to the public. It is for distribution to members of the Berkeley Power Station and Centre Local Community Liaison Committee, LCLC, and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Berkeley Power Station and Centre. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate attend LCLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there by members of the LCLC. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 - 951 - 4103.
1 The Site Inspector made two inspection visits to Berkeley Nuclear Licensed site during the period January to March. The visits were on:
6 - 7 January2 The Site Inspector was accompanied by the new nominated Site Inspector during the inspection of 18 to 20 March as part of the procedures for transferring responsibility for inspection of the site.
3 Routine inspection has continued, matters arising from the general inspections have been identified directly to the appropriate members of staff and to the site manager for action to be taken.
4 Inspections completed this quarter were targeted at compliance in those areas most affected by relicensing the site to BNFL, which took place on the 18th December. This included inspections against Licence Conditions 12 (Duly Authorised, and other Suitably Qualified and Experience Personnel), 26 (Control and Supervision of Operations), and 36 (Control of Organisational Change)
5 Relicensing of the site to BNFL brought about a change in status of the majority of staff on the site from employees of the licensee to contractors. The Licensee had been alerted to and had acknowledged the significance of this change and had advised their and other staff on site. However, the level of instruction given to the staff whose immediate duties now included supervision and management of the contractors, some of who are working with ionising radiation, fell short of good practice. It was disappointing that a second inspection and letter were required to bring about the necessary improvements. The control and supervision of operations including contractor management will remain a theme for future inspections.
6 As reported previously reported a step wise change in the site management structure was agreed with a small change on relicensing and a more significant change to amalgamate the management of the power station and the centre in early 2003. The management of and evidence to support this second change was inspected and found to fall well short of the standard expected by the Inspectorate. Advice was given and improvements made that allowed the change to go forwards on the planned time scale. However, further work is necessary to support the change process, this will continue to be the subject of close scrutiny by the Inspectorate.
7 There have been a number of incidents on site; these are regarded as minor in respect of nuclear safety. However, the site inspector identified a failure that potentially compromised the emergency arrangements in that the site access system did not account for all staff on site. A temporary solution was identified and implemented to resolve the immediate problem. Advice on a permanent remedy is awaited from the Licensee.
8 It was confirmed that the work to improve the fire precautions on site has been completed. HSE have commenced the process of preparing and issuing a new fire certificate.
9 The Inspectorate has power under the Licence to issue Consents, Approvals and Directions. In addition the Inspectorate uses Licence Instruments to issue Specifications and Agreements under the conditions attached to the Licence. No legal documents have been issued under the Licence during this period.
Published on the HSE web site 26 August 2003